I want this to be a fun “discussion” of sorts. Specifically, I want you to do the following:

• Post one of your favorite current songs. It can be just fun, inspirational, relaxing, etc. Make sure to explain why you chose this song (i.e. to give your peers a song that can help them study, or to listen to if they’re sad, etc.) and why you like it.
• There are a couple ways to share the song, and I find that YouTube and Spotify are some of the easiest for integration.
  • To get the embed code
    • On YouTube, if you click the “Share” link, look for the option that says “Embed.” Click that and get the full code
    • On Spotify, click the three horizontal dots to the right of the song you want, then click “Share” in the pop-up window and choose “Copy Embed Code”
  • When you come to the discussion forum to to post, first type out the written portion of this discussion. Then:
    • Look at the area above where you type that lets you edit what your post looks like. On the second row of options, the second thing you can click is the “Insert/edit media” (it is between the “Table” and the “Link to URL” options). Click “Embed” and past in the link you copied from either YouTube or Spotify.

Note, try to make sure your song (and video, if including one) is minimally problematic. For example, Lil Xan saw a rise in popularity, especially on the song “Betrayed,” wherein he details his struggle with his addiction to Xanax. A major song detailing the difficulties of addiction is a good thing on various levels because it’s not something we often see within popular music. Simultaneously, though, the lyrics themselves include some very misogynistic and homophobic components. I’m not saying don’t pick this, but thinking critically about what the song is actually about is important here, especially in terms of the fact that you’re sharing this with others who may be affected by the lyrics. (If it has a video, obviously you need to think doubly about this.) If you think there might be a concern, just make a note in your post.

NOTE: I’m not worried about cursing in songs.

As an example:
Lately, I’ve returned to a lot of music from my youth and contemporary analogs that give the same feeling. Because of this, I’ve had Praise’s album Leave It All Behind on heavy rotation. “Makes No Sense,” the lead track, is a good song especially amidst a pandemic as it focuses on lives growing apart and the ways we can lose touch, especially when not co-present. With this, it also does (I think) a good job at noting that it’s doesn’t have to be one person’s fault but it’s important to try and maintain those connections. Our ties to others form the basic realities of our world and those ties are not inherent and unchanging.

Also, much as my own interests and preferences change, I enjoy seeing where the musical interests of students fall. To offer an insight into some other songs I’ve posted: godspeed you! black emperor’s “Blaise Bailey Finnegan III (Links to an external site.),” Forest Swords’ “Shrine (Links to an external site.),” Jlin’s “Abnormal Restriction, (Links to an external site.)” Lemuria’s “Marigold (Links to an external site.),” Somos’ “Familiar Theme (Links to an external site.),” and American Football’s “The Summer Ends (Links to an external site.).”